1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feed-through, in particular a battery feed-through, in particular for a lithium-ion battery, for example a lithium ion accumulator, a storage device, such as a battery, for example a lithium-ion battery, as well as utilization of a glass composition for feed-through of a metallic conductor into the housing of a battery, such as a lithium-ion battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Integration of conductors, in particular in the form of metal pins into a base body which consist of a light metal such as aluminum, has hitherto not been possible with battery feed-throughs.
Feed-throughs featuring thermally greatly expanding materials such as aluminum, aluminum alloys, copper and copper alloys have become known only in the field of high frequency feed-throughs (HF-feed-through). Such HF-feed throughs and glass materials on the basis of aluminum-phosphate glasses are, for example, known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,262,364; 5,965,469; as well as 6,037,539.
In particular U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,539 describes an HF-feed-through whereby a ferrous or respectively a non-ferrous conductor in an aluminum-phosphate glass composition is inserted through a housing component comprising aluminum. The HF-feed through known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,539 is substantially optimized for its purpose of application. Frequencies of between 8 and 1000 megahertz (MHz) are preferably transferred with feed-throughs of this type. The high voltage application is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,539. However, battery feed-throughs are not described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,539.
Lithium-ion batteries have been known for many years. In this regard we refer you to the “Handbook of Batteries, published by David Linden, 2nd issue, McGrawhill, 1995, chapter 36 and 39”.
Various aspects of lithium-ion accumulators are described in a multitude of patents, for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 961,672; 5,952,126; 5,900,183; 5,874,185; 5,849,434; 5,853,914; and 5,773,959.
In particular in the use of batteries, for example lithium-ion accumulators in the automobile industry, a multitude of problems such as corrosion resistance, stability in accidents or vibration resistance must be solved. An additional problem is the hermetic seal of the battery, in particular the lithium-ion battery over an extended period of time. The hermetic seal may, for example, malfunction due to leakage in the area of the electrodes of the battery or respectively the electrode feed-through of the battery, a battery short-circuit or temperature changes, thus leading to a reduced life span of the battery. An additional problem with battery feed-throughs is the instability with respect to the aggressive battery electrolytes, especially with respect to non-aqueous electrolytes as are used, for example, in lithium-ion accumulators.
In order to ensure better stability in accidents, a housing for a lithium-ion battery is suggested for example in DE 101 05 877 A1, whereby the housing includes a metal jacket which is open on both sides and which is being sealed. The power connection is insulated by a synthetic material. A disadvantage of synthetic material insulations is the limited temperature resistance, the uncertain hermetic seal over the service life and the low chemical resistance with respect to the battery electrolytes.
What is needed in the art is a feed-through, in particular a battery feed-through, which avoids the problems of the current state of the art.